Infant&#39;s bathing device



April 18, 1950 D. M. KENNEDY INFANTS BATHING DEYICE Filed July 1, 1947 INVENTOR.

DEWEY M. KENNEDY Patented Apr. 13, lESi) 'i'islS P'I'NT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to infants bathing devices of the type having a tub supported on longitudinal rails which connect the upper portions of two pairs of foldable cross legs, and a shelf pivotally connected to the legs. My invention is especially concerned with improvements in the construction of the shelf and legs and provides a simplified infants bathing device which requires less material in its production.

It has been the practice heretofore to connect the cross legs by longitudinal rails, both top and bottom, and to connect the shelf at any, convenient place between the legs. The shelf, as thus attached, has performed no structural function in the framework of infants bathing devices. I have found that the shelf can be so connected to the cross legs that the lower longitudinal rails may be entirely eliminated with a consequent saving in material. In accordance with my invention, I pivotally connect each pair of cross legs to an end of the shelf and thereby use the shelf as a rigid interconnecting member for the two pairs of cross legs. I prefer to use a shelf having such rigidity and strength, that I may attach a connecting rod or bolt thereto which serves as the interconnecting pivot for the cross legs. In its more complete aspects, my invention provides cross legs which are rigidly connected together at their tops by the longitudinal rails and at their pivot points by the shelf.

These and other objects of the invention will be better understood after considering the following discussion taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an infants bathing device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view taken at one end of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section at 3--3 of Fig. 2.

The baby bath illustrated in Fig. 1 is a conventional type comprising two pairs of cross legs, each comprising a rear leg I' and a front leg 2 pivotally connected together by the bolts 4. The upper end portions of the rear legs I are connected together by the longitudinal rail 5 and the upper end portions of the front legs 2 are connected together by the front longitudinal rail 6. The tub I is formed of the usual waterproof fabric. The dressing table 8 may be swung from its upright inoperative position shown to an operative position overlying the tub.

Each of the rails 5 and 6 is connected to the legs in such manner as to form a rigid connection. I prefer to employ the means of connection described in the copending application of Norman K. Brodine, Serial No. 758,411, filed July 1, 1947.

A washer I0 is inserted between each pair of cross legs to hold them in the proper spaced relaticn and the bolt 4 is inserted through the cross legs and washer with the threaded end projecting inwardly. The shelf H has a stiff frame l2 with a hole therein through which the threaded end of the bolt 4 projects. In order to provide adequate clearance for the free tilting of the shelf, the spacing washers it are inserted between the inner leg I and the frame l2. The nut it is drawn up sufficiently tight to remove looseness between the shelf and the crosslegs. Since each end of the shelf is connected to a pair of cross legs, as described, it is clear that the cross legs are rigidly connected together at their pivotal points. The shelf, accordingly, serves the dual function of a connecting member and as a utility shelf. The connection of the shelf to the pivot point of the cross legs enables the shelf to be folded into parallelism with the cross legs when the bathing device is folded. In order that the shelf may be secured in its operative horizontal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the slotted stay brace 15 is pivotally connected by the pin 16 to the frame l2 and is removably attached to another pin I! on the inner cross leg I. When the stay brace is disconnected from the cross leg, the shelf may be swung to an inoperative position in parallelism with the legs I. I may use any suitable form of material for forming the cross legs, such as wood or metal tubing. I prefer to use metal tubing, and especially tubing that is rectangular in cross-section, so that I may advantageously employ the connecting means described in the said patent application.

I claim:

In an infants bathing device having two pairs of cross legs connected at their upper ends by two longitudinal rails which support a tub, the improvement which comprises a shelf having a reenforcing frame at the ends, a hole in each end frame, a pin connecting each pair of cross legs together which enters the said hole and connects a pair of cross legs to the shelf, said shelf providing the sole means for connecting the lower portions of the cross legs together.

DEWEY M. KENNEDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,442,391 Filipache Jan. 16, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,955 Great Britain Feb. 16, 1911 

